Daryl Reiber's
Ethiopian Stamps, Postal History & Ephemera
1929
24 Aug: Mail Train
(Navagation)
1929 First Flights: 24 August 1929 - Special Service Mail Train
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In 1929, one German Junker and three French Potez airplanes were purchased by the Ethiopian government. They were delivered to Djibouti in middle of July as Ethiopian landing strips had not yet been completed. Landing strips were being built: three in Addis Ababa; one in Dire Daoua; and one in Harrar. The first Ethiopian airplane, one of the French Potez planes, was scheduled to land in Addis Ababa on August 17, 1929. To commemorate the event, the 1928 definitives were handstamped with an airplane and an Amharic inscription "The E. G. Aeroplane, 10 Nehasey 1921" ( The Ethiopian Government Airplane August 17, 1929). Unfortunately the arrival of the Potez was delayed and subsequently arrived on 18 August 1929, one day late. Covers were privately created bearing the complete set of the handstamped definitives, the handstamp itself, and a specially prepared cachet to commemorate the airplane's arrival. Some of these covers were sent on to Djibouti on via a special service mail train on 24 August 1929. |
 Special Cachet: "The E. G. Aeroplane, 30 Nehasey 1921" (The Ethiopian Government Airplane September 5, 1929). |
 18 August 1929 Addis Ababa cancel. |
 18 August 1929 Addis Ababa cancel. |
 20 August 1929 Addis Ababa cancel. 9 November 1929 Addis Ababa cancel. 16 November 1929 Port Taufiq transit. 18 November 1929 Alexandria receiver. |